Pilot killed in Cherokee County plane crash identified

A pilot is dead after his plane crash landed into a retention pond in Cherokee County early Saturday morning.

The crash happened just after midnight at the Cherokee County Airport near Ball Ground.

The twin engine Cessna 421 brought down power lines before crashing into a retention pond near the runway. About 50 Georgia Power customers are offline as a result. The company expects service to be restored to the area by 2 p.m.

The pilot, identified as 69 year-old Steven Silver of Woodstock, was killed in the crash.